Exodus 13:17-14:9

New King James Version

The Wilderness Way^(A)

¹⁷ Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people ^(B)change their minds when they see war, and ^(C)return to Egypt.” ¹⁸ So God ^(D)led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁹ And Moses took the ^(E)bones of ^(F)Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, ^(G)“God will surely ^[a]visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.”

²⁰ So ^(H)they took their journey from ^(I)Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. ²¹ And ^(J)the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. ²² He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

The Red Sea Crossing

14 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ² “Speak to the children of Israel, ^(K)that they turn and camp before ^(L)Pi Hahiroth, between ^(M)Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea. ³ For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ^(N)‘They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.’ ⁴ Then ^(O)I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I ^(P)will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, ^(Q)that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

⁵ Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and ^(R)the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” ⁶ So he ^[b]made ready his chariot and took his people with him. ⁷ Also, he took ^(S)six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. ⁸ And the Lord ^(T)hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and ^(U)the children of Israel went out with boldness. ⁹ So the ^(V)Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.